-UpcastyJfrmiiiig, Saturday, April 7,1979
116
Sheep management and
ByJoanLiesau
LANCASTER - “Four
weeks prior to and after
lambing is the most critical
time” nutritionally speaking
for a ewe, said Dr. Clair
Engle, sheep Extension
specialist at the Penn
sylvania State University.
Four weeks before lam
bing, the lamb is doing the
most growth and a ewe is
more suseptable to pregnacy
toxemia (ketosis) problems
due to the additional stress
on her system. “A ewe
should gain 30 pounds
through gestation.” This
offsets weight gained
through lambing and keeps
the ewe in desirable body
condition.
Engle spoke to over 30
Lancaster County sheep
breeders at the Lancaster
Farm and Home Center,
April 2. He suggested a
forage analysis be done to
determine the protein
content of the hay. Engle
compared three samples of
hay which is typical for the
county. The samples range
from nine to 22 per cent
protein. He emphasized that
“if you have good alfalfa
The lamb reviver is a simple tool sheep
producers can use to revive chilled lambs. A
syringe can be used with a catheter (abput 12
inches long) attached to the tip. The catheter tube
should be V* inch or less in diameter. The blunt
round end of the catheter has a hole in the side.
This way, the lamb's eshopagus won’t be punc
tured when it is inserted.
Stnndubilitv
it’s bred into the high-yielding
DEKALB corn hybrids planted
in this area. Strong stalks keep
heavy grain-filled ears up, ready
for harvest. Order your DEKALB
corn hybrids today.
DEPEND ON
DEKALB
DEKALI * requtcred trademark
nutrition
Clair C. Engle
hay, or you raise it, think
seriously of storing it and
using it as your feed.” Engle
held up a pre-bloom sample
of alfalfa which can get up to
25-26 per cent protein. “If
you have this kind of hay, it
is really all you need.”
Engle said when your
forage gets down past five
per cent protein you should
use a protein supplement. If
you have poor hay and are
trying to produce twins, and
Uli 7«. j Jnj ■(,,((
tips given
a ewe with good milk “your
not doing a good job.” he
said. The only way to be sure
is to have a forage test done.
Engle added that the cost is
only about $8 to $l2, and you
can find out the protein,
calcium, nitrogen and
phosphorus content of your
forage.
Engle suggested that “if
hay prices are high in your
area, go out to other counties
and look for quality hay” to
get a better price.
“One thing you don’t find
many Pennsylvania
producers doing is adding
low level antibiotics to their
feed.” Engle stated that 60
milligrams of aeromycin per
day ewe will decrease lamb
death and scours.
Another subject close to
home was parasites. Engle
said “if you have a parasite
problem and can’t whip it,
even after you have seeked
help, you need to look into
the mirror.” He felt
producers tend to put too
much emphasis on clinical
Indications. Engle suggested
that the producers become
aware of the parasite’s life
cycle and learn where the
weak spots are. The cycle
should then be broken in the
weak spots. “Try to work
pasture rotation into your
operation” he said. If
rotation is not feasable,
Engle suggested dry lotting
the sheep as part of the
parasite control program.
“Dryness and sunlight is the
worst enemy a parasite has”
he added.
Engle also gave recom
mendations in the
management of the lamb
crop. He suggested that if
you use the elastrator
;e 117)
(TurntoPai